The arced, downward swing of a golf club or hockey stick can be a difficult thing to do well. It requires an accurate, consistent arcing path. It also requires strength and muscle memory to complete a clean, powerful swing. Most golfers and hockey players train for years to attain a consistent, powerful swing. Over the years, many different training methods and tools have been developed to improve and strengthen golfers' and hockey players' swings. However, most methods and tools focus on the complete swing, from backswing through the follow-through. These methods and tools provide valuable training. However, they provide little in the way of focused training for individual aspects of the golfer's and hockey player's swing.
Many different muscle groups are used when a golfer or hockey player swings the club or stick. To be sure, a full swing will involve the arms, core and lower body of the athlete; all functioning together for each swing. The muscle groups shift as the club or stick moves through the back swing, then into the downswing, to the bottom of the swing arc, and through the backswing. Accordingly, different aspects of the muscle groups are used at the top of the swing from those used in the bottom of the swing or those used in the follow-through. Most athletes are able to improve their swing by repeatedly swinging the club or stick through the full swing arc. However, the swing can be further improved and strengthened where the swing is broken into smaller components. One component that is common to all swings of golf clubs and hockey sticks is the forward movement through the bottom quarter of the swing arc where the golf ball or puck is struck. In order to strengthen the muscle groups used in this particular portion of the swing, a system and method is required to repeatedly challenge the athlete in this small, focused aspect of the swing.
Unfortunately, athletes from professionals to amateurs lead busy lives that prevent the athletes from spending as much time as one would want at the golf course or hockey rink. Accordingly, a swing training system and method will need to be portable in order to receive the continued repetitions needed to develop strength and muscle memory. This may require the athlete to train indoors or outdoors, at home, in an office, or on the road. Along with portability, the system and method will need to be simple in construction and use. If the system requires many separate components, or is difficult or time consuming to set up and take down, the athlete will be less inclined to train with the necessary frequency.